Bottling machine



May 12, 1931. F. HOFFMAN BOTTLING MACHINE Filed Feb. 10, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 1- llllll llllllllllllllll In v A TTQKNE Y I May 12,1931. A. F. HOFFMAN BOTTLING MACHINE I iled Feb. 10, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTORNE Y May 12, 1931.

A. F. HOFFMAN BOTTLING MACHINE Filed Fe ATTORNEY May 12, 1931. A. F. HOFFMAN 5 v ao'rrnme MACHINE Filed Feb. 10. 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 1 I JNVENTIOR BY W A TTOR NE Y Patented May 12, 1931 PATENT- OFFICE ALBERT 'F. HOFFMAN, OE NEWARK, NEVI JERSEY BOTTLING MACHINE Application filed February 10,1928. Serial $70,253,481.

My invention relates to improvements in the class of bottling machines n whlch the beverage to-be bottled is maintained within 1 a rotative chamberprovided with outlets and 5 tubes through which the beverage is .dis-

charged into the bottles in successive manner. The present invention is an improvement over the machine shown and described in U. S. Letters Patent No.'1,63l,5 issued .to me on 10 the 7th.day of June, 1927.

In the bottling of certain beverages, espe cially those which are carbonated or charged with gas, it is desirable to maintain the beverage at a low temperature right down to the time it is placed into the bottles, in order to prevent the waste of gas in the charged beverage. The lower the temperature .maintained in the beverage down to the time the' same is sealed in the bottles, the less escape there is of the gas from the liquid because at low temperatures the tendency of the gas to escape from the beverage is much less than at higher temperatures. One object of the present invention, therefore, is to maintain the beverage within the filling chamber of the machine at low temperature-during the bottling operation and to retain it in this condi-,

tion if for any reason the bottling operation should temporarily cease for a period of time. One advantage of the present invention over that shown in my said patent is that the cool- 1 ing coil arranged to maintain the beverage in cool condition, is composed of headers connected by. a series or group 'of tubes,-preferably in circular form, the tubes'being con nected to the headers in parallel relation. This divides the stream of brine or cooling fluid, so that the flow thereof may be maintained through the cooling'device with lower pressures. In addition, tubes having greater areas for cooling maybe arranged in the machine than in the before-mentioned patented device, thereby increasing the efficien-" cy of the cooling apparatus without necessitating rebuildingofithe bottling machine as awhole. In addition, the present construction is simpler to manufacture and to install in the machine. V 1 I Another object of the present invention is to provide an etlicient distributing mechanism for controlling the circulation of the brine or other cooling fluid through the cooling apparatus. One object of the distributing ap-' paratus is to reduce the lateral dimension thereof and thereby increase its efliciency and at the same time reduce the frictio-nbetween the stationary and movable parts thereof Parts of the distributing mechanism "must necessarily revolve to accord with the'move ment of the filling machine and the cooling apparatus and the smaller the diameter of these movable parts the less friction there will be as betweenthese and the stationary parts of thedistributing device. In the present construction the lateral dimension ofthe distributing-device is much less than in the aforesaid patent. Another object of the present, distributing device isto provide simple means i for effectively packing the same-in order to avoid leakage between the stationary and revolvable parts of this'apparatus. Furthermore, the pressure on the packing inthe distributing devicemay be very easily adjust ed from time to time if leakage between the parts is detected. Another object of the inventlon isto simplify asa whole the distrib uti ng apparatus. Other advantages willbe polnted out in the following detailed description of my invention. i V

In the. drawings forming part of this application, a I r Figure 1 is a side elevation of a well known type of bottling machine in which my present lnvention hasbeen incorporated, 7 v i Figure 2 is a partly broken plan view of the apparatus shown in Figure'l', Flgure 3 is a vertical, sectional view taken through the center of part of the machine, I Figure 4; is a horizontal, sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 3, Figure 5Iis a view one-half of which is an elevation and one-half in vertical section, showing the distributing apparatus,

Figurev 6 is a sectional view taken on the The -bottling machine to which I' have tle centering bells2 which assist in projectingthe charged beverage separately into the several bottles 20 as they travel upon the movable platforms 5a. The chamber 1 is supported on a central column 3 which is journaled to rotate upon the base 1 in well known manner. The lower member 21 which carries the several vertically movable bottle platforms 5!; is provided with a gear 6 around its exterior, and this meshes with apinion 7 on the shaft 8 by means of which the revolvable portion of the machine is operated. The shaft 8 which is shown in a vertical position is provided with a mitre gear 9 which is operated by a gear 10 arranged on a shaft which is adapted to be driven from any source of power, such as a belt operating on the pulley 11.

Compressed air is admitted through the pipe 1 1 to the chamber 22 where it escapes through circular drilled holes around the eriphery near the bottom. The air then ubbles up through the water surrounding the tank 22 and into the upper part of the central tank 12. The pipes 13 communicat- 1 ing from the top of the tank 12 with the annular chamber 1, conveythe air to that part of the chamber 1 above the level of the carbonated Water or beverage confined in the lower part of the chamber 1. ther pipes communicating with the air space in the tank 12 convey air to several parts of the filler in order to lift the valves and assist in the proper functioning of the filling machine. In general the compressed air serves to prevent the 0 from escaping from the carbonated water or beverage in the chamber 1; to actuate the filling valves, and to actuatea diaphragm valve, through the medium of the float valve in the chamber 1, and thus control the carbonated water or beverage level in the chamber 1. the tank12 by the filler operatorand remains here until drawnoff by the filler operator. The difference in level inside and outside the chamber 22 is a measureof the liquid or beverage to be placed in each bottle. The parts just described, as well as other parts of the machine shown in the drawings except for those hereinafter specifically described, are of usual construction, so that further detailed description thereof isunnecessary to an understanding of the operation of my present invention. The means for cooling the beverage or for maintaining. it in cold condition until discharged into the bottles is placed within and is revolvable with the annular filling chamber 1. As shown in the drawings, (Figure 4) there are two headers 23, 24 arranged 1n the chamber 1 a short distance from each other, and between these two headers are City water is placed in connected a series of parallel tubes 25 of arcuate shape, arranged preferably in several horizontal rows, lying one above the other in close formation, so that these tubes extend around the major portion of the chamher 1. These tubes may be welded, brazed or otherwise secured to the vertical wall of the header 23 at one end of each tube and similarly secured to one vertical wall of the header 24. at the other end whereby the bores of all of the tubes will be in communication with the headers at the ends of the tubes. It will be apparent from this construction and disposition of the parts that brine or other cooling liquid introduced into one of these headers will circulate in multiple streams through the several tubes 25 and will thence flow into the opposite header from V which it is conveyedback to the brine cooling apparatus or refrigerator (not shown). The cooling device, consisting of the headers and the tubesis so disposed in the filling chamher 1 that the beverage contained in thefilling chamber rises to a level which causes the cooling device to be submerged in the beverage. Preferably there is a vertical wall 26 of annular shape, disposed in the filling chamber 1 adjacent the outer row of tubes 25 so that all of the beverage entering the filling chamber will flow over the system of tubes before entering the several filling valves 27 which control the flow of the beverage into the bottle through the filling tube.

It will be apparent that with the cooling device arranged in the charging chamber 1, it is possible to keep the beverage cold until it discharges into the several bottles, and in this manner it is possible to reduce to a minimum the loss of gas from the charged beverage. By arranging the headers 23, 24 connected with the several tubes 25 in multiple relation, the cooling fluid may be circulated through the cooling apparatus with a minimum pressure. Furthermore, with the arrangement of the tubes, as shown herein, a greater tube surface may be provided than in the construction shown in my aforesaid patent for increasing the efficiency of the cooling device without increasing the size of the filling chamber 1.

The remainder of the present invention relates to the distributing apparatus for controlling the circulation of the cooling fluid through the cooling apparatus whichlatter as above described, continually rotates while the machine is in operation. There is a pipe 28 having a lateral connection 29 which passes through the wall 30 of the filling chamber 1, and this lateral connection is connected with one of the side walls of the header 23 for the purpose of conducting the cooling liquid or brine from one end of the cooling apparatus; There is a similar pipe 31 having a lateral connection at 32 also extending through the wall 30 and connected with one wall of the the cooling liquid or brine to this header, so

that the fluid will circulate throughall of the tubes 25 and-then be discharged from the header 23 through the pipe 28. The pipes 28,

31 which are shown vertically disposed, are

provided withhorizo'ntally extending portions near'the top of the machine, and these pipes, together with-the members of the distributing apparatus with which they directly connect, all revolve with the main portions of the machine.

In the drawingsI have shown a series of arrows indicating the direction of flow of the cooling fluid in'the severalpipes and valves, but it will be understood that the direction of flow may bereversed. As shown in Figure 1 there is a pipe 33 leading from a refrigerating apparatus (not shown) which serves to cool the brine and to prepare it for passage through the cooling device above described.-

This pipe 33 delivers the fluid into branch pipes 34 which are directed downwardly and at the lower ends are provided with'lateral branches disposed diametrically at opposite c sides of the distributing device to which lat ter'they are connected, as will be hereinafter set forth. There is a pipe 35 for conducting the cooling fluid from the present apparatus and back tothe refrigerating apparatus, thereby completing the circulation ofthe cooling fiuid as between the present cooling de vice and the refrigerator. This pipe 35 con- I nects with the two downwardly extending branch pipes 36 which are also provided at their bottom ends with lateral connections disposed on opposite sides of the distributing apparatus to which they are connected and these branches are arranged preferably: ninety degrees from the above described branches 34.

,The distributing devlce is I detall in Figures 5 to 8 incluslve. It consists principally of a body 37 provided at its lower end with a threaded stem 38 which is adapted toibe secured by suitable nuts 'withtheinternal closing cap or head .39 which posed within the tank 12. The upper end of' this body37 is provided witha threadedplug or stem 40 with which there is connected the p ipeI14 by means of which compressed airis which corresponds withtheaforesaid patent. v groove 59 extending mp y around the The body 37 remains stationary or in other wordsit does not revolvewith-the main portion of the machine. It is provided with a number of ports for maintaining communication between the inlet and outlet plpesof the brine circulating system as follows: There is a lateral port 42 the outer end of which is threaded and this portcommunicates with a; There are other lateral ports 44 below and in'thesame vertical plane vertical port '43,

shown more in withthe port 42 and thesealso communicate: with'the verticalport 43 so that the port 42 Y which is in the stationary body 37 communi-' cates with the ports 44 through the intermediate portion of the vertical port 43; The upper end of the port 43 is closed or blind, but this port is shown as extending'to the lower end of the body 37 and its lower end is permanently v I closed by a plug 45. Th'e'portion of the port 43 which extendsbelow the lateral port 44 is shown as arranged one hundred'and eighty degrees from or opposite the port'43 and parallel with the same. There is a lateral port 48 in the body 37 communicating with the port and corresponding with the right handport 42. f

The upper end of the body 37 is provided with a flange 49 through which thebores 42, 48 extend and below thisfflange there is an annularring 5O surrounding thebody 37 and its internal bore is ground to fit closely to the outer surface of the body 37 This annular body 50 is adapted to 'revolve in'relation to the stationary body 37 and-in order to prevent the escape of the liquid be= tween the surfaces of the body 37 and the ring 50 1' have provided a suitable packing or 'stuiiing. There is a ring 52 of packing or stufiing material set into a recess 53 in the upper side of the'ring 50 and this is pressed downwardly and, into the recess by means of a ring nut 54 which isthreaded into the socket 53 of the ring member 5O.v

On the under portion of the ring 50 th'ereis tighten the packing rings 52, 56 to any de{ gree necessary to prevent the escape ofthe circulating fluid between'the surfaces of the body 37 and the ring 50 The ring'50 is provided on its inner surface with anannular ring and in line with the port/44 so that an annular groove 59 forms a means of com munication between the port 44 and the lat eral port 60 in the ring 50 at alltimes during the revolution. of the ring 50. The lat eral port 60 is threaded and to it the end of the pipe 31 is connected. i

There is a second annular ring 61 arranged V ilar to the ring 50. It is packed by meansof a packing or stufling ring 62 seated in the recess orpocket 64 and compressed by means of a. ring nut 63 threaded into the socket 64. At the lower side of the ring 61 there is a corresponding packing or stufiing' ring 65 seated in the pocket 66 and held compressed therein by means of the ring nut 67 threaded into this pocket 66. The ring nuts 63, 67

-may also be turned by a suitable spanner for the purpose of compressing the packing rings 62, 65 and prevent the escape of liquid between the body 37 and the ring 61. I have shown pins 68 threaded into the .body 37 which are for the purpose of serving as are closed at their upper ends and are closed at their lower ends by suitable plugs 76 and these vertical ports are disposed opposite each other and ninety degrees from the vertical ports 43, 46. It will be understood that in stating the exact locations of these ports I am'merely describing the preferred construction shown and do not intend to limit the scope of my invention to the precise arrangement described. In the upper end of the body 37 there is a lateral port 77 which communicates with the vertical port 73 and its outer end is threaded. In the opposite side of the body 37 there is also a lateral port 78 communicating with the vertical port 74 and its outer end is also threaded. The outlet pipes 36 are threaded into the ports 77,

-78 so that these pipes receive fluid which rises in the vertical ports 7 3, 7 4. The inlet pipes 34 are threaded into the ends of the lateralports 42, 48 so that the fluid from the Operatioa When the machine is in operation, the coolcause the rings 50, 61 t revolve with them.

The cooling fluid. coming to the machine through the pipe 33 divides and passes through the pipes 34 and from there through the lateral ports 42, 48 in, the body 37 and into the vertical ports 43,46. When the fluid has filled these vertical ports 43, 46 the fluid in the lower portions of these ports will become static and there will be a flow of the fluid out through the lateral ports 44 into the annular space 59 in the revolvable ring inlet pipe 33 is fed into the vertical ports 4 6.

50. From this annular space 59 the liquid will flow through the port 60 into the pipe 31 and thelatter will conduct it through the inlet head 24 of the cooling apparatus. From this head the fluid will circulate through the several tubes 25 to the opposite header 23 and from there it will flow into the pipe 28, through the port and into the annular chamber 71 in the revolving ring 61. From this annular chamber the fluid will pass through the lateral ports 72 into both vertical ports 7 3, 74. It will pass upwardly in these vertical ports and thence into the branch pipes 36 which are joined to the common outlet pipe 35 which returns the fluid to the refrigerating apparatus (not shown). As the annular space 71 in the ring 61 is always in communication with the lateral port 70 the fluid will pass through the lateral and vertical ports 72, 7 3, 74 from the inlet pipe 28 to the outlet pipe 35, regardless of the position of the rin 61 in relation to the body 37. Likewise, the annular space 59 in the ring 50 is in communication at all times with the lateral bore 44 so that the fluid from the refrigerating device through the pipe 33 will flow to the annular space 59 through the lateral ports 44 and the Vertical ports 43, 46 regardless of the position of the ring 50 on the body 37. From this it will be apparent that a continuous circulation of the fluid through the distributing device may be maintained during the revolution of the machine. In the present construction the surfaces which revolve in contact with stationary surfaces, to wit, the inner surface of the rings 50, 61 and the outer surface of the body 37 may be of less diameter than in the construction shown in my aforesaid patent, and therefore the friction between the moving and stationary 1 parts is reduced to a minimum, so that the moving parts may turn more easily than in the aforesaid construction. This arrangement also permits the use of packing or stuffing rings with tightening nuts, as shown herein, and this type of packing may be kept in proper working condition with the least attention.

It will be noted that the vertical ports 43, 46 both serve the same purpose and the vertical ports 73, 74 also serve the same purpose, and it will be feasible to eliminate one of each of these vertical ports and still maintain the same circuit for the cooling fluid. However, I prefer to duplicate these ports in order to secure sufficient volume of flow in the distributing device and still retain a minimum lateral dimension for this device.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A bottlingmachine comprising a rotative chamber for holding a supply of liquid for the filling operation, and a cooling device associated with the chamber to rotate therewith and comprising headers, a pluis.

rality of tubes connected at opposite ends to the respective headers in multiple relation,

and means for introducing cooling liquid into one of said headers and for withdrawing it from the other, to cause a circulation of the cooling fluid through said tubes.

2. A bottling machine comprising a rotative chamber of annular shape for holding a supply of liquid for the filling operation, and an annularly shaped cooling device associated with the chamber to rotate therewith, and comprising headers, a plurality of tubes connected at opposite ends to the headers in multiple relation, and means for introducing cooling fluid into one 01 said headers and for withdrawing it from the other, to cause circulation of the cooling fluid through said tubes.

3. A bottling machine comprising a rotative annular chamber for holding a supply of liquid for the filling operation, a plurality of members for discharging the liquid from ports connected by a vertical port, a fluid pipe said chamber into receptacles, a cooling device arranged within said annular chamber to rotate therewlth and comprlslng headers,

a plurality of tubes connected at opposite 1 ends to the respective headers in multiple re lation, means for introducing cooling fluid into one of said headers and for withdrawing it from the other, and an overflow wall in said chamber adjacent said tubes whereby the cooling fluid around said cooling device will overflow said wall in passing to said discharging means.

4:. A bottling machine comprising. a rota- I tive chamber for holding a supply of liquid for the filling operation, a cooling device associated with the chamber to rotate therewith, and means for controlling the circulation of cooling fluid in said cooling device, comprising a vertically arranged body having a plurality of lateral ports connected by a vertlcal port, a fluid pipe connected with one of said lateral ports of said body, a member revolvable in relation to said body and having a port communicating with another of said lateral ports, said body having other lateral connected with one-of said last mentioned lateral ports and a second member revolvable in relation to said body and having a port registering with one of said last mentioned lateral ports, and pipes connected with said revolvable members for conducting the cooling fluid to and from said cooling device. 5. A bottling machine comprising a rotative chamber for holding a supply of liquid for the filling operation, a cooling device associated with the chamber to rotate there-' with, and means for controlling the circulation of cooling fluid in said cooling device, and comprising a vertically arranged body having a plurality of lateral ports therein and having vertical ports connecting certain of said lateral ports, a member revolvable around said body and having an annular chamber registering with the lateral ports 'i-n'said body,-and a pipe connected with said revolvable member and'communicating with said annular chamber, said'pipe being connected with said cooling device.

certainot the lateral portsof said body, and

pipes connected with saidrevolvable members and communicatingwith said annular chambers ior'conductmg the cooling fluid to and from said cooling device.

7 A bottling machine comprising a rotative chamber iorholding a supply of liquid for the filling operation, a cooling device associated with thechamber to rotate therewith, and means for controlling the circulation of cooling fluidin said cooling device, and comprising a vertically arranged body disposed centrally of said chamber and having a plurality of lateral ports therein, a plurality of vertically disposed parts arranged at different sides of the axis of said body and connecting certain of said lateral ports with each other, a plurality of members arranged vertically, one above the other, to revolve in relation to said'body, and having annular chambers 'each communicating continuously with certain of said ports, and pipes connected with said revolvable members for conducting the cooling fluid to and from said' cooling device.

8. A bottling machine comprising a rotative chamber for holdingasupply of liquid for the filling operation, a cooling device associated with the chamber to rotatetherewith, and means for controlling the circulation of cooling fluid in said cooling device, and'comprising a vertically arranged body having a plurality of lateral ports therein and vertical ports connecting certain oi said lateral ports with each other, a plurality of members irevolvable around said body, each having an 9. A bottling machine including a rotative chamber for holding a supply of liquid for the filling operation, a cooling device associated with the chamber to rotate therewith and means for controlling the circulation of cooling fluid in said cooling device including a vertically arranged body disposed centrally of said chamber and having a plurality of lateral ports therein, said body having a plu- 10 rality of vertical port-s connecting certain of said lateral ports with each other, a plurality of other vertical ports connecting other of said lateral ports with each other, members revolvable in relation to said body and having annular chambers continuously communicating each With different lateralports, supply and discharge pipes connected with said revolvable members and with said cooling device to cause the circulation of liquid 2 in the latter, said'pipes being in communication with the annular chambers of said revolvable members, said body having a plurality of lateral ports connected respectively with 'the'several sets of vertical ports and a plurality of supply and discharge pipes connected With said last mentioned lateral ports to supply liquid to and discharge it from said body. Signed at the city of Newark, county of Essex and State of New Jersey this 27th day of January, 1928.

' ALBERT F. HOFFMAN. 

